Ann Lab Med.  2015 Nov;35(6):586-594. 10.3343/alm.2015.35.6.586.

Hypertriglyceridemia is a Major Factor Associated With Elevated Levels of Small Dense LDL Cholesterol in Patients With Metabolic Syndrome

• Cho Y
• Lee SG
• Jee SH
• Kim JH

• KMID: 2363261
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3343/alm.2015.35.6.586

Abstract

BACKGROUND
We aimed to determine the major contributing component of metabolic syndrome (MetS) that results in an elevated small dense LDL cholesterol (sdLDL-C) concentration and sdLDL-C/LDL-C ratio.
METHODS
Four hundred and forty-seven subjects (225 men; 222 women) with MetS were randomly selected from the Korean Metabolic Syndrome Research Initiatives-Seoul cohort study. Age- and sex-matched healthy controls (181 men; 179 women) were also randomly selected from the same cohort.
RESULTS
A comparison of the median values of the sdLDL-C concentration between subgroups, divided according to whether subjects met or did not meet the criteria for each MetS component in patients with MetS, revealed a significant difference in the sdLDL-C concentration only between subgroups divided according to whether subjects met or did not meet the triglyceride (TG) criteria (P<0.05 for each gender). The TG level showed a good correlation with sdLDL-C concentration (correlation coefficients [r]=0.543 for men; 0.653 for women) and the sdLDL-C/LDL-C ratio (r=0.789 for men; 0.745 for women). Multiple linear regression analyses conducted for the MetS group concordantly identified TG as one of the most significant contributors to sdLDL-C concentration (beta=0.1747+/-0.0105, P<0.0001) and the sdLDL-C/LDL-C ratio (beta=6.9518+/-0.3011, P<0.0001).
CONCLUSIONS
Among five MetS components, only the abnormal TG level was a differentiating factor for sdLDL-C concentration and sdLDL-C/LDL-C ratio. These results were reproducible in both genders, with or without MetS.

Keyword

Hypertriglyceridemia; Small dense LDL; Metabolic syndrome

MeSH Terms

Adult
Case-Control Studies
Cholesterol, LDL/*blood
Cohort Studies
Female
Humans
Hypertriglyceridemia/*complications/diagnosis
Linear Models
Male
Metabolic Syndrome X/*complications/diagnosis
Middle Aged
Risk Factors
Triglycerides/blood
Cholesterol, LDL
Triglycerides

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Scattergrams of the small dense LDL cholesterol (sdLDL-C) concentrations in a healthy population versus male (A) and female (B) patients with metabolic syndrome. The lines depict the median values and and interquartile ranges of each group, which were significantly different (P<0.001) in both genders.

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